Tomato strainer



A r. 10, 1923. w r 1,451,534 v J. CHOPPA TQMATO' STRAINER I Filed July '23, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 1.

,WAPr51051923: J "HQPPA TOMATO STRAI NER Filed July 25, 1921' 2 sheets-sheet 2 7 changes without departing from the spirit. of theinvention. a I s r Patented Apr. 10, 1923.

UNITED s'rATrs JOHN CHOPIA,-OE'1\TEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

TOMATO s'rnnrnnn.

Application filed July 23,

To all whom it may concern: i

. Be it known that I, JOHN CHOPPA, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Tomato Strainer, of which the following is a specification. I,

The device forming the subject matter of this invention is adapted tobe employed for straining tomatoes and the like, the tomatoes being forced through the perforations of a receptacle, by the action of a pressure memher, which, being carried by a'shaft, moves in an orbit along the inner surface of the receptacle. One object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby the tomatoes willbe prevented vfrom'moving in an orbit, with the pressure member, and in front of the pressure member, the tomatoes, in the device forming .thesubject matter of this application, being retarded in their orbital movement, so that the pressure member will tend to force the tomatoes outwardly through the preforations of the receptacle. A further ob-ject'ofthe invention is so to construct the device that the pressure mem ber, in its orbital movement, may pass the retarder, the latter element beingfrelatively fixed. A further object of the invention is to improve generally and to enhance the utilityof devices of that type to which the invention appertains. a f

I do not bind myself to the specific form shown and described, since, within the scope of what is claimed, a mechanic may make In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows in, vertical section, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, parts appearing in elevation; Figure 2 is a top plan wherein thesupport has been omitted; Figure 3 isja top plan showing the means whereby the shaft is held for rotation. In carrying out theinventionthere is provided a receptacle 1 including a-conical body 2 having a marginal top flange 4 and including abottom 3, the bottom ,and'the body being provided with perforations 50. The body 2 is adapted to be received in the opening 5 ofa support 6, to the end that the device may be held above a bucket 7 or other receiver for the strained tomatoes.

A cross bar 8 is secured by screws 9, or otherwise, to the flange 4 and is provided with a notch 10. A fixed bearing' 11 is 1921. Serial in. 487,066.

ceived in an opening 18 in the bar 8. 1 i The numeral l9marksa shaft, the lower end of which is journaled in the bottom 3 of bearing '11, by a screw 17 adapted to be rethe body 2, the upper portion of theshaft being journaled in the opening defined by the notches 12 and 16 of the bearings 11 and 14, the construction'being such that the shaft may be removed at will. The shaft 19 may be operated by a crank 20, or in any other suitable way. The shaft 19 has not only rotary movement, but a 'slight longitudinal movement as well. The utility of this longitudinal movement in the shaft ,19'will be made manifesthereinafter.v Y

The shaft 19 carries a frame comprising a top bar 21 and a bottom bar 22. The top bar 21 has downwardly extendedends 23, and the bottom bar22has 'downwardlyextended ends 24; wherein are journaled the spindles 26 of rollers 25 located close to the inner surface of the body 2 and disposed parallelthereto. Therollers 25 may be al'- luded to as pressure members-cooperating with the; body 2 and mounted to move in an orbit. Retainers 27, in the form of plates, extend circumferentially of, the body 1 and are secured at 28 to the end portions 23 0f the topbar 21. The outer edges 29 of the retainers are curved to conform to the shape of the body 2 and move in close proximity to the inner surface of the body.- The retain- The function of the retainers 27 is to hold down the tomatoes, whilst the tomatoesfare being mashed by the rollers 25,'the tomatoes" being prevented from climbing the inner surface of the body 2. a I f j A superficial examination of thedevice as thus far disclosed might l'ead one toconclude thatiwhen the rollers 25 are carried around in an orbit, responsive to the rotation of the shaft, the liquid will be forced outwardly through the perforations 50 of the body 2. As a matter of fact, however, this result iscarried out imperfectly and slowly, if at all, because the tomatoes tend to move around in an orbit, in advance of the rollers 25. The foregoing'being undert o it be omes necessary to provide some means for retarding the orbital movement of the mass of tomatoes. The retarding means must not onlyretard the movement of the mass of tomatoes, but it must have another characteristic, namely, it must not prevent the rollers from moving close to the inner surface of the body, and the orbital movement of the rollers must not be ap preciably impeded, when the rollers pass the retarding means. In view of the foregoing, one important object of the invention is "to improve the construction of the retarding means. I

The retarding means ordinarily takes the form of any desired number of strips 30, extended downwardly along the inner surface of the body 2. The strips are resilient, and, normally, that is, when not engaged by the rollers 25, are bowed inwardly, as shown in dash line and designated by the numeral'35 in Figure l. The upper ends of the retarding strips 30 are outwardly extended, as shown at 33, and are attached by securing devices 34 to the flange 4 of the receptacle. At their lower ends, the retarding strips 30 terminate in fingers 31., received slidably in openings 32 formed in the bottom 3 of the body 1.

Since the strips 30 are bowed as at 35, away from the body 2, the strips tend to hold back the mass of'tomatoes and prevent the same from moving eircumferentially of. the body 2, in advance of the rollers '25.

Consequently, the rollers tend to force the liquid portion ofthe tomatoes through the perforations with greater efficiency than would be possible if the retarders were omitted. When one of the rollers 25v encounters one of the strips 30, the strip is flattened by the roller, as shown in solid line in Figure 1, the fingers 31 of'the strip sliding clownwardly in the openings 32 of the bottom 3. As soon as the rollers 25 pass the stripSO. the strip resumes the bowed form indicated at'35, andagain becomes efficient as a retarding means. Since the strips 30 are re silient, and capableof being flattened, they will not retard. the orb-ital movement of the rollers-25 to any great extent but should there be any collection of material at the strips 30, the shaft 19, together with the rollers 25, will move upwardly, thereby permitting the.rollers to pass the strips the more readily. It is now apparent why a longitudinal movement of the shaft 19 is desirable, as hereinbeforealluded to,

What is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a receptacle; pressure member cooperating with the receptacle; means for mounting the pressure member for orbital movement; and a resilient retarder extended longitudinally of the receptacle and located in the path of the pressure member.

2. In a device of the class described, a receptable; a pressure member cooperating with the receptacle; means for mounting the pressure member for orbital movement; and a retarder disposed within the receptacle. the retarder being in the form of a bowed resilient strip secured at one end to the re ceptacle and disposed in the path of the pressure member. I

8. In a device of the class described, a re ceptacle; a pressure member cooperating with the receptacle; means for mounting the pressure" member for orbitalmo-vement; and a retarder disposed within the receptacle and located in the path of the pressure member, the retarder being in the form of a bowed resilient strip, one end of which is secured to the receptacle, the other end of which is received slidably in an opening in the receptacle.

4. In a device of the class described, a receptacle of conical form; a retarder extended longitudinally of the receptacle; a pressure member cooperating with the receptacle and the retarder; and means for mounting the pressure member for rotatioinand for movement in a direction parallel to the axis of the receptacle thereby to enable the pressure member the more readily to clear the retarder. I

5. A device of the class described, con structed as set forth in claim 4:, and further characterized by the fact that the retarder is in the form of a bowed resilient strip attached at one end to the receptacle.

6. Ina device of the class described, a. receptacle, a. pressure member cooperating with the receptacle, means for mounting the pressure member for orbital movement, and a retarder located in the path of the pressure member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses;

. 1 JOHN CHOPPA. I Witnesses:

IVY E. SIMPSON,

AGNES ROCKELLL 

